Fertilizer-distributer



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. H. WISTANGE.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTBR.

Patented Oct. 9, 1888.

INVENTOR n rams WMo-Lalhognpher, wmnm n.c

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. H. WISTANGB. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

Patented Oct. 9, 1883.

- A #0 me y WI 7/1556 fire ti on, reference being had to theaccompanying lizing material is fed'through the bottom of a plan view ofmyimproved distributor, showthe two sides of the hopper above mentioned,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EDWARD H. \VISTANOE, OF SPRIXGFIELD, OHIO.

FERT|LlZER=DlSTRIBUTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 286,361, dated October9, 1883.

Application filed July To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enwn. H. Wrsranon, of Springfield, county of Clarke,and State of. Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improve- 1 ment inFertilizer-Distributors, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact descripdrawings, making a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class offertilizer-distributers in which a revolving hopper is employed and thefertisaid hopper into the tube or hollow tooth, which conveys it to theground; and it consists in the combination, with a; suitable frame, of arevolving hopper having within it, near its bottom, several adjustableplates or'scrapers for acting upon the material contained in the hopper,and a stationary bottom to said hopper, provided with an opening and anadjustable gate for regulating the passage of the grain to thecondnctingtube.

It also consists in a novel manner of adjustingthe regulatinggate, andin certain other details of construction and arrangement-hereinafterfully described.

In the accompanying drawings,'Figure 1 is ing the arrangement of thescrapers, gate, gateadjusting lever, drivingshaft, and also the mannerof supporting the base-plate of the frame. Fig. 2 is a sectional view,showing the arrangement of gearing for driving the revolving hopper, andthe lever and link for adjusting the gate of the discharge-outlet; andFig. 3 is a perspective 'view of the revolving hopper, a portion of thecasing removed to show the arrangement of'the. scrapers, theirretainingsprings, and the interior frame, to which they are secured.

A represents the main frame of the hopper, and, as it may be of anysuitable or desired form, need not be herein described any further thanis necessary to explain its connection with other parts of the machine.

To the lower edges of two of the sides of frame A is attached thebase-plate A. of the frame, of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2-that is,it is provided with four legs or arms, A which extend out beneath thelower edges of and are secured thereto. Its central portion 2, 1883. (Nomodel.)

is cylindrical in form, and is curved or pro jected up within or betweenthe side walls of hopper A, the upper extremity of this curvedprojection having formed upon its inner periphery two or more lugs, a,as shown in Fig. 2, and for a purpose hereinafter explained.

' The base-plate A has further formed upon its,

lower face a brackeno, Fig. 2, containing a hearing, or, if preferred,forming in itself a bearing for the driving-shaft of the machine.

B represents a revolving ring, having a central perforation ofconsiderable size, said ring, when in motion, revolving around thecylindrical projection A, resting on the latter for a hearing, as shownat B, Fig. 2, being steadied in its movement or revolution by means ofan annular flange or shoulder, B, which rests in contact, or nearly so,with the exterior face of the curved projection A. I

Resting upon the rotating circle B is the stationary bottom D of thehopper, which isheld in place by means of belts or screws attachedthereto, and passing through and secured in the lugs a, above referredto. Thus -it will be seen that the ledge or projection B of ring B isinterposed and revolves between the cylindrical formation of thebase-plate and the stationary hopper-bottom when motion is imparted toit. Upon the under periphery of ring B are formed beveled teeth b,adapted to mesh with the teeth of bevel-gear wheel G,

arranged at right angles thereto upon the main driving-shaft G of themachine. The bevelgear wheel is keyed to the driving shaft C andrevolves with it, imparting motion to the 'ring B through its mesh withthe bevel-gear formation upon the under side of said ring. An annularvertical flange, D,.is formed around the outer periphery of thestationary hopperbottom D, for containing within its walls thecylindrical hopper E, as shown in the drawings. The cylindrical hopper Eis not attached in any way to the hopper-bottom, but revolves above thesame, the only office of the annular flange 1) being to confinethehopper within its walls and steady its movements. The cylindrical hopperis connected with the revolving ring B by means of angle-irons a,secured to the hopper by rivets, or inany suitable manner, and united tolugs b on the ring B in ferred to, said ring, through the aid of theangle-irons 0, will rotate the hopper and its contained mechanism, whichwill now be explained. Within the said hopper, and extending verticallythrough its center is a shaft or rod, F, of any suitable diameter, andwhich has radiating from its upper extremity a series of arms, ff.(Shown most clearly in Fig. 3.) These arms extend out to and at theirouter extremities are fastened or secured to the inner walls of therotating cylindrical hopper, whereby they form part of the hopper, andwhen the latter is rotated they, together with the central shaft, F, arecarried with it. The shaft or rod F has upon its lower end a shank orits equivalent, fitting into a formation, D upon the stationaryhopper-bottom,

which serves as a bearing for the said shaft F when it is rotated.

G G represent the scrapers contained with in the hopper. They may be ofany desired form or construction, that shown in the drawings beingpreferred, as being cheap and durable. These scrapers are hinged attheir upper ends or edges between the central shaft, F, and the innerwall of the hopper by pins 9, or in any preferred manner, their lowerscraping-edges being always in contact with the stationaryhopper-bottom, and inclining a little backward relatively to thedirection in which they revolve. They are held in place and kept totheir work by means of suitable springs, g, secured in the radiatingarms f f of the central shaft or rod, F, and extending down behind thesaid scrapers, exerting their tension upon the latter and keeping theirlow er scraping-edges always in contact with the floor.

H represents the opening in the bottom of the hopper, through which thematerial con tained in the hopper is fed to the mouth of the tube ortooth, which afterward conveys it to the ground. This hole extends fromthe central shaft, F, to the inner wall of the cylindrical hopper, orthereabout, and at or near one of its edges is hinged a plate or gate,I, the purpose of which is to regulate the amount of fertilizer whichshall be allowed to pass through the opening; and for the purpose ofadjusting said gate with ease I provide the following means: The gate I.is provided on its under side with a pendent loop oured thereon bymeans of a set-screw, 7,

whereby when the shaft is rocked in its bearings, which are in the frameof the hopper, thecrank will be moved with it and will open or close thegate I through the connectinglink '5 according to the direction in whichthe shaft L is rocked. The shaft L is rocked, for the purpose ofincreasing or decreasing the size of the opening H, by means of ahandlever, L, keyed or otherwise securely fastened upon the shaft L,said hand-lever being provided with a longitudinal tooth, Z, which isadapted to engage with or between a series of teeth formed within aslotted guide, M, secured to the frame of the machine, thus adapting thegate, when properly adjusted, tobe held at such adjustment while themachine is in operation Having now described my invention, what I claimas new is 1. In'a fertilizer-distributer, the combination, with arevolving hopper, of a stationary bottom thereto, provided with anopening and means for increasing or diminishing the size of saidopening.

2, The combination, with a revolving hopper, of a stationary bottomhaving an open ing for the escape of the fertilizer, and a pivoted gateadapted by suitable mechanism to be rocked on its pivot, for the purposeand substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the hopperE, of the ring B, the interposedangle-irons connecting said hopper and ring, and means, substantially asdescribed, for actuating said ring.

4. The combination, with the stationary bottom D, having the opening IIand regulatinggate I, of the scrapers G, actuated in the manner and forthe purpose substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the stationary bottom D, having the opening Hfor the escape of the material contained in the hopper, of thescrapers Gand springs 9, operating substantially as described.

6. The combination,with therevolving hopper, of the frame-work F f f,the pivoted scrapers G, and springs arranged and operating substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my IO 5

